The Department of Commerce is working to take the local artisans in the trade shows held abroad in order to address the needs of luxury retailers in the international markets, state minister for commerce and industry, Dr E.M.S. Natchiappan said at an event organised by industry body Assocham.

“We've got a huge number of artisans who can adapt to any situation and can bring out any type of designswith respect to various patterns of different countries owing to their inherent capabilities but they are not exposed to the international markets,” said Dr Natchiappan while inaugurating the 2nd India Luxury Summit.

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“We are working to bring artisans along with us whenever the materials are put up in any trade show held abroad so that global luxury retailers can interact with them, understand the issue and come forward for more investments in India,” said Dr Natchiappan. “The artisans are available in every sector and we are bringing them from villages across India with the help of fashion designing institutes and national handicrafts institutes and we are developing them to come and address the needs of the international markets.”

“We want to have more closeness with more number of countries specifically European countries to promote people to people interaction as India has got good benefit of putting its luxury goods in these global markets,” said the minister.

“We are ready to allow many of them to invest in India for making the luxury goods and offer luxury services and to inform them how luxury goods are produced in India, how artistic things and innovations are coming up and how these things can be transported to their country and synergy can be created by their own culture, thinking or the way in which they need that particular article, goods or services.”

“The department of commerce is always open to hold dialouge and discussion with luxury industry representatives from countries like Spain, Italy, France and other European countries to have more and more understanding of exchange of goods and services in the luxury sector,” he added.

The minister further said that luxury industry would be able to stay afloat despite the economic slowdown which is just a temporary phenomenon. “It is for a very short period of time and they will manage it.”

“Luxury sector provides India with an opportunity to showcase indigenous goods in the international markets and similarly allowing them to come here as well, more so as India has developed itself to compete with any type of goods and services at the international level,” said Dr Natchiappan.

In his address at the Luxury Summit, Ambassador of Spain, Mr Gustavo De Aristegui invited Indian travellers for high-end vacations in Spain and experience the hospitality, gastronomy and wine tourism together with garments, footwear, jewellery, yacht being parts of the luxury industry in Spain.

Highlighting the significance of India's jewellery sector across the globe, the Spanish Ambassador to India said, “The connections of Indian artisans and jewellers to the industry of gold and precious stones needs to be enhanced further.”

The dearth of high-street, super premium malls, high rentals and poor infrastructure, prevalence of grey market and fake luxury goods, grave paucity of skilled labour, high custom duties and other levies are certain challenges that need to be overcome for smooth transition of India as a prime destination for luxury goods, highlighted Karan Ahluwalia, chairman, Assocham National Council on Luxury and president & country head, Luxury Banking Group, Yes Bank.